


Titans

by Popinbunnies



Category: DCU (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anti-Hero, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2016-12-13
Packaged: 2018-09-08 02:07:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8826118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Popinbunnies/pseuds/Popinbunnies
Summary: It all started with Red X. Alone and just him vs the cruel, cruel world.
But he found others. Lost souls. Pawns for the "Greater Good". Survivors.
And they formed a sort of team. Just like Young Justice.
Only.
They were called the Titans.
Update: Sorry, for posting this without being edited! Go back and read the story again that I did not write at 3 in the morning.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [stolen cogs of the clock](https://archiveofourown.org/works/847688) by [annica](https://archiveofourown.org/users/annica/pseuds/annica). 



Tim was excited.

Before today, Mother and Dad _never_ let him come with them on their trips. Always citing how Tim was too young or too irresponsible to go with them. But now they were going to Saudi Arabia.

He wanted to dance around in joy. Though of course Tim didn't _actually_ mean to. Mother would have been appalled. If he really did that in front of all the passengers on the plane, Mother would have been horrified and shamed enough to send him back to Gotham on his own.

And Tim really couldn't risk it. What would they think about the Drake's?

So nine year old Timothy sat composed, quiet, and polite -- the picture perfect child. Yet inside, his inner child was bubbling with joy about seeing the wonders of the Middle East.

After his parents had announced he was old enough to go with them on their next trip, Tim had immediately looked up interesting facts about the countries they would be visiting. After all, he would be living there for the next few months. Tim couldn't wait to see the Burj Khalifa.

_Beep._

Jerked from his thoughts, Tim heard the pilot talking over the intercom to the passengers. Something about landing early because of a potential bomb, and after a few seconds, Tim quickly grew bored.

He looked outside the airplane window disinterestedly, because after all, it was probably just nothing.

Tim listened to Mother clicked her tongue in annoyance, complaining about incompetent airlines. So they probably weren't going to use this specific airline in the near future.

He gazed over the deep sea green ocean below them, the tan outline of a desert in the distance. Tim curiously wondered how they were going to land in the middle of nowhere.

Maybe he'll ask Dad. Dad always seemed to know about these kinds of stuff.

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

What was that?

Then all hell broke loose.

 

 

**__________**

 

 

**Plane Bomb Kills Drake Family?**

 

**__________**

 

 

That day in Saudi Arabia happened nearly three years ago, Red X thought. Time really does go by fast.

It was by pure luck, and maybe some endurance ten year old Tim was able to survive the bomb, the crash, and the desert sun without dying.

Well, Red X conceded, he would have died if the Demon's head hadn't found him.

Maybe Ra's had seen himself in little Tim, still hanging on to life when by all accounts he should be dead. Or maybe Ra's was just amused by this curious little boy.

Who knows really?

Crickets chirped to each other hello and the moon playfully winked in the twinkling sky and Red X sighed in wonder at the brilliant Milky Way. After all, it wasn't every day you could see this many stars, especially if you lived in Gotham.

No stars over there.

The humid, green Louisiana landscape was welcoming. A stark contrast to the grey and desolate building it held in this very spot.

Red X raised a finger to his comm, gently pressing it with his finger.

"All clear, Mother Panic?"

The comm crackled with static before an angry voice was heard, "Shut _the fuck up, X. Of course it's clear. Who'd you think I am? Huh? Maybe princess butterfly over here?"_

Red X chuckled as he heard the muffled shout of Batgirl over the radio, "Just checking in. You have the go to start."

He heard the customary "Fuck you" before Mother Panic closed the channel. They didn't need any distractions from either of their parts of the plan.

"Red X."

He turned around, not the least a bit surprised.

"Nightwing."

The black and blue vigilante narrowed his eyes at the villain, "What are you planning?"

Red X tutted in mock disappointment, sighing, "No 'conversion to the light' speech? No? I'm kind of hurt you already lost hope in me so fast." Dick could tell he was smirking behind his mask, "But then again... Maybe you never liked me anyways?"

Dick frowned, already irritated, and pulled out his escrima sticks. He shifted into a battle stance.

"Let's just get this over with. I'm not in a mood for your games."

Red X narrowed his eyes at him at Dick's apparant bad mood.

This probably had to do with a specific anniversary with the second Robin.

Red X hmmned as he thought.

No. This may have changed things up a bit, but the plan was still working. In fact... Red X could even have it work in his favor.

Yes, Red X thought. A new and better plan already forming in his calculating mind. This would do nicely.

Red X turned around and sprinted across the roof, leaving smoke behind him.

All of his senses sharpened as adrenaline began coursing through his body. Red X's brain already going through and passing half a dozen scenarios to escape. But that wasn't his goal here.

No. The Titans came all the way to Belle Reve for one reason: the criminals locked inside.

Dick thought Batgirl was working on the bombs they had supposedly put, and that was his mistake. Mother Panic would activate them at Red X's signal.While Changeling, Olympia, and Arsenal were running in circles around the other sidekicks.

And Blue Beetle?

As the newest member, Blue Beetle would get the honors of proving his commitment to the team-- with his first kill.

Red X vaguely heard the sound of Nightwing chasing him as he easily slipped inside the prison with the grace of a thief.

Dick growled in frustration as he ran after the crafty villain, reaching for a bird-a-rang to throw at his legs. He really needed to finish this last mission to go back to Gotham. 

As the swung projectile was thrown at Red X, Nightwing jumped over him and attacked him with his escrima sticks.

Unluckily, Red X had nimbly dodged the bird-a-rang and predicted Dick's move, blocking his strike with his own bo-staff.

They grunted as they fought and ran through the empty halls, abandoned during the invasion, neither giving in to the other.

While Nightwing was the better fighter, he was holding back as to not hurt the kid. Which Red X clearly did not give back, fighting to kill and using all the tricks in the book and more to give himself an advantage.

Then Nightwing gave an unusually savage stab with his bat-a-rang.

Red X hissed, grabbing his bleeding arm as he rapidly retreated from the horrified Nightwing.

It wasn't a paper cut no kidding, and he was lucky the bird-a-rang didn't cut any important tendons.

Red X knew at the rate he was going, he was going to lose very soon. So he decided it was time for the signal.

Nightwing stepped forward, raising his hands in peace, "Look... You don't have to do this, Red X... We can help you. Just come with us."

Red X raised an eyebrow behind his mask, how... Cringy. Ra's would be appalled.

"Seriously?" Red X mocked as he slowly backed up, "How many time are you going to do your 'come to the light' speech before you get that no means no?"

Dick shook his head, "I  _know_ you're a good kid, Red X. Our cameras saw you talking to the homeless and prostitutes in Gotham. Giving them food and stopping dealers selling drugs to kids... Though you shouldn't have killed those criminals."

Red X snorted, "Those drug dealers deserved what they got and you know it."

"No," Nightwing shook his head, "That just makes you the same as the criminals. You don't have to lower yourself to their level."

"I don't care," Red X said sharply, "Yu don't know  _anything_ about me, Nightwing. See you later in hell."

Before he could do anything, Red X leaped off the roof, arms and legs stretched elegantly. Nightwing ran forward in time to see a giant green pterodactyl catch him, Changeling and Red X zooming off.

_Boom._

The building shook as a bomb exploded in what seemed to be Belle Steve's left wing.

Oh no.

Nightwing's eyes widened as he realized Red X had been distracting him. The Titans didn't want to release the criminals so they could control them like he'd originally thought. No. They had meant for the bomb to kill. He had to warn the others.

Nightwing quickly scrambled the opposite hallway, heading towards the middle of the prison. Where the others should be right now.

_Batgirl!_ He said through the mental connection.  _Did you disable the bombs?_

He waited impatiently for Babs to answer like she usually did.

Silence.

_Batgirl? Miss Martian, can you hear me?_

But there was only more silence.

He felt a sinking feeling of dread in his gut.

Finally, Sick saw the doors to the heart of the prison, the cafeteria ahead open as he skid to a halt in front of it.

He gasped.

There they were, the other members of the team that were sent for this mission were all tied up and kneeling before the Titans. Miss Martian was unconscious and surrounded by a ring a fire, and Batgirl was maskless. Her defiantly scared face looking up in time to see Nightwing run in.

Red X held up a glowing Kryptonite ring. The sickly green watching over Superboy's already pale features.

Mother Panic turned around, glaring at him through her helmet. Her almost glowing white costume a stark contrast to the night outside.

"Huh. About time Golden Boy fuckin' showed up." She sneered at him.

Olympia groaned, interuppting her no doubt enlightening rant about superheroes, "Seriously, when do you ever stop cussing like a barbarian?" She casually examined at her fingernails.

Cassie smirked as she looked up at the enraged villain.

Mother Panic turned to her, "When your whore mum--"

"Don't talk about my mom like that, you bitch!" Olympia screeched eyes glowing red with Ares's infamous rage.

Soon, both girls looked ready to pummel the other to bits.

However, Arsenal stepped between them, holding his hands up to appease them.

"Now, now ladies." He leered appreciatively as he casually looked up and down their forms, "I'm sure we can all get along."

Unfortunately for him though, both females looked ready to forge an alliance in the light of a common enemy.

But before anybody could do anything else to start a fight, Red X looked over at them sharply.

_"Shut up."_

They all stopped.

Huffing, Red X turned to Nightwing who had been edging closer to his teammates, and slowly bringing out his escrima sticks.

"Blue Beetle."

Suddenly, Dick cried out in pain at beams of light shot out and hit him from behind. The shadows parting to reveal a sinister blue armor and glowing yellow eyes.

(Over by the other members, Red X noticed how terrified Impulse, a new hero, suddenly looked. How interesting, he thought, and stored this fact in his data base of a brain for later.)

Changeling, the closest, went over to a kneeling Nightwing, and forcing him up. They knotted his hands behind his back and had him kneeling just like his friends.

Mother Panic also brought a little friend for them. All of the sidekick's eyes widening as they saw her captive-- Jarvis Kord. A relatively unknown but brilliant scientist and contribution to the science community.

What did he do with all this?

Kord looked terrified, eyes wide in horror in the face of the eerie mask.

"Wa-wait! Please, I did-didn't mean to--"

"Mean what?" Red X cut off cruely, "To ruin Blue Beetle, scar and disfigure him forever--for the sake of 'science'?"

Kord whimpered, eyes whipping around desperately, silently pleading with the superheroes to save him.

But Nightwing looked on helplessly, as he continued to struggle in the unyielding rope.

"Beetle."

Red X looked at Blue Beetle, who had stayed very silent until now.

"Kill him." His black mask staring into Jaime's soul, as the scarab on his back encouraged him too.

But.

Jaime still hesitated.

What would _Milagro_ think of him? His sweet little sister who thought he was a hero? And once Jaime murdered... He couldn't go back.

" _Beetle..."_ Red X said warningly, "If you want to prove yourself, do it. _Now_."

_Don't be ridiculous._ The scarab snapped at him.  _This is what you humans call... "Justice."_  

And so, not letting himself second guess, Blue Beetle's armor lit up and formed a large cannon.

_Boom._

Red X smiled gleefully as Nightwing lowered his eyes in shame. Impulse could only stare in horror as he watched the future happen all over again.

Jaime watched as the charred remains the man who had tormented him for the last few years was finally,  _finally_ gone. He searched inside himself to see what he felt.

It felt...

Horrible?

Disgusting?

Wrong?

No. Not at all. It felt as if...

Blue Beetle slowly grinned, feeling a strange lightness in his chest as if he was finally  _free._

Blue Beetle's eyes glinted ominously, and Impulse shivered.

Let's do it again.

 

 

**__________**

 

 

The Justice League were like gods in human form. Overpowered and superior beings who watched over them.

The mere mortals without a voice under the Gods' iron fists.

Because despite all their claims of good, justice, and blah blah blah, they were still gods.

It was just like that saying: Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The gods needed to be torn down. And what then, be replaced by new ones?

No. That couldn't happen either.

They, as conquerors would let the world grow free and wild. Unconstrained by silly restrictions like morals and 'good' vs. evil'.

They were not gods, no. Never.

You could call them Titans. 

**Author's Note:**

> Just to clear some confusion:
> 
> Wonder Girl=Olympia  
> 3rd Robin=Red X  
> Beast Boy=Changeling
> 
> And Blue Beetle, Arsenal, and Mother Panic are the same.


End file.
